President Joe Biden and First Lady Welcome South Korea’s First Couple to the U.S.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
WHITE HOUSE HOSPITALITY: In advance of what will be the Biden administration’s second state dinner at the White House, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed their guests of honor — President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and his wife Kim Keon Hee — Wednesday morning on the South Lawn.
Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff were on hand for the photo-op that comes on the heels of Biden’s announcement of a reelection run. The powers-that-be were all smiles and with good reason as two presidents are signing the “Washington Declaration,” an agreement to cooperate about the potential use of nuclear arms, as well as military training and information sharing in relation to North Korea. The six-day visit and Wednesday’s red-carpet treatment in the Beltway is designed to celebrate the 70-year alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. While presidents Biden and Yoon will be discussing geopolitics, climate change and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, FLOTUS and her South Korean counterpart checked out some of the Rothko paintings in the National Portrait Gallery.
More from WWD
Art is an area of great interest to Kim, who in 2009 started the company Covana Contents to specialize in art exhibits. For Wednesday’s official welcome, the first lady donned a purple flap-collared dress and Kim paired a fitted white jacket with a black skirt and black gloves.
While visiting the Korean War Memorial Tuesday with their respective husbands, FLOTUS wore a pale ice-blue dress and matching coat from Gabriela Hearst, and Kim chose a navy pantsuit with a slate gray buttoned-up blouse. Hearst has dressed Biden for key public appearances, including for the 2020 inaugural ball. The fashion choices of South Korea’s first lady have been polarizing on occasion, as have those of generations of her international counterparts. The 50-year-old also has an online fan club for her style.
Wednesday afternoon, the first lady will speak at this year’s International Summit of the Teaching Profession, an organization with representatives from 22-plus countries. Moving to the White House did not change Biden’s status as an English and writing teacher at Northern Virginia Community College. That job credential is one that she highlighted in delivering her 2020 Democratic National Convention speech. FLOTUS did so from a classroom, wearing a Brandon Maxwell dress.
The first couples will reconvene Wednesday evening for the state dinner. The décor will include painted figures of animals that are indicative of both countries, dinner table accents in the colors of the South Korean flag — red, royal blue, white and black — and symbolic “Taegeuk” symbol. For the pre-dinner cocktail party, platinum-colored linens are meant to be symbolic of the 70-year alliance.
Edward Lee, owner of Louisville’s 610 Magnolia restaurant and author of “Smoke & Pickles” and “Buttermilk Graffiti,” has been tapped as the affair’s guest chef. Beneath boughs of cherry trees in the East Room, 200 guests will dine on crab cakes, yellow squash soup, braised beef short ribs and banana splits. They will be entertained by such performers as the actor Norm Lewis, “Miss Saigon” Tony award winner Lea Salonga, “Wicked” actress Jessica Vosk and “Spring Awakening” director Michael Arden.
While previewing the dinner plans Monday, FLOTUS noted how she and the president had been “welcomed with open arms,” when they visited the Republic of Korea in the past. “It’s my intention to bring as much warmth and joy to President Yoon and Mrs. Kim Wednesday evening. We hope to honor both the people of their home nation and the generations of Americans who share their roots,” she said.
Launch Gallery: Dr. Jill Biden's Style Through the Years
Best of WWD
